Jemma Redgrave Talks BBC Doctor Who Spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea

At The Centre Of The Crisis

Doctor Who spin-off The War Between The Land And The Sea starts tomorrow and here’s one of its stars Jemma Redgrave talking about it…

What can we expect to see from Kate in this series, where do we find her at the start?

An unknown species has been brought up in the net of a fishing trawler off the coast of Spain and is killed. This wakes the entire species which has hibernated for many years and they demand redress, which sparks an international diplomatic and potentially existential crisis. It threatens a World War. Kate and UNIT are the centre of the crisis, managing the very complicated competing political factions and countries jostling for supremacy, keeping the human race safe, maintaining the peace, and keeping their chosen ambassador Barclay on message – all without the Doctor.

Will we get to see a different side of Kate?

Kate faces challenges that test her to the limits. Told over five episodes, it allows the characters the time to reveal complexity that the one-hour story arc often doesn’t allow. She reveals strength and vulnerabilities not explored before.

What was your reaction when you first read the scripts?

Well, it’s Russell T Davies who is sending the script, he’s one of the great writers and every actor who has worked for him feels themselves privileged. He and Pete McTighe, who is also a brilliant, brilliant writer, have created something really beautiful, epic, profound, and moving. I was so excited as I read and just couldn’t wait to get started.

Can we expect to see Kate’s relationship with Colonel Ibrahim develop in the series?

What has been hinted at in Empire of Death and then Lucky Day is a potential relationship that has clearly been kept secret. That comes out into the open, and The War Between develops and tests it.

How was it working alongside your other co-stars?

Russell Tovey is an absolutely brilliant company leader. My UNIT family, and the whole company, are a very happy gang. Russell T Davies’ companies always are, cast and crew, and I don’t think I’ve ever known such a happy company.

The sets and special effects in this series are on another level, what was it like immersing yourself in that environment?

The sheer scale of the Empress Hall and the water tank was thrilling. I don’t think I’ve worked on an interior set of that size before. I thought that the Doctor Who UNIT set would be used as the office, but we were in a smaller version, panelled, with more subdued darker lighting, which I think reflects the darker, more grown-up tone of the series. Before we filmed on the set for Kate’s flat, Pete McTighe asked if there was anything I thought Kate would have. They showed me photos of the colours and tones. It makes a huge difference to being involved in the environment that your character lives in. The costumes and sets give you a great deal as an actor, and these were fantastic.

What are you most excited for the audience to see in the series, and what would you like them to take away from it?

All of it! It’s an epic adventure. It’s the story of a world in turmoil and love and loss in a time of escalating tension and countdown to war. And, at it’s heart, it is an environmental story. It’s brilliant.

Do you think there could be different species lurking in the ocean?

Without a shadow of a doubt. We’ve seen, because David Attenborough and the BBC have shown us, the extraordinary creatures in the deepest parts of the ocean that we can get to. But, what lies beneath them?